Flipping a coin, going through open doors, and goosebumps are all something we hear when people talk about making decisions. Fear of making a wrong decision can paralyze us into inactivity. Acting spontaneously or going by feeling alone can lead us to long-lasting undesirable consequences. As believers, an oft-spoken prayer in the area of decision-making is to ask for God’s will to be done and then for spiritual wisdom.

As I read of King Solomon’s life in the book of I Kings, I was impacted by the fact that wise decisions in one season of life does not automatically mean a life where sound judgments continue! King Solomon “had it all” after he asked God, above everything, to give him wisdom to lead his people. God was well-pleased with such a prayer and granted Solomon not only wisdom but riches and respect from those around him. Solomon did some tremendous things!

But decisions are a day-by-day occurence and a little less conviction one day followed by a teensy weensy slide into mediocrity the next eventually produces a downward slide of epic proportions. Solomon, the builder of the great temple, eventually found himself worshiping false gods to please his many wives. There are many bad decisions represented in that last sad sentence!

How often in life we know people who have had a season of sound decision-making based on seeking God’s will and months or years later we find that same person miles away from where they once were spiritually. What can happen to other people can happen to us – no one is immune from the enemy’s attacks. One of Satan’s craftiest ploys is in drawing people away one little “innocent” decision at a time.

Such reality can keep us on our knees, especially when there is a decision to be made. For weapons, in this spiritual battle of decision-making, we have the Bible as a compass, prayer to bring us into God’s presence, wise counsel from godly Christ followers, God-directed circumstances, the shield of faith to ward off stabs of unbelief and especially the peace of God which works even in situations we do not understand.

Rather, cling tightly to the Lord your God as you have done until now. Joshua 23:8 (NLT)